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Posted by Brian in SLC on September 28, 2007 at 2:51:30 pm EDT
In reply to Re: NOLS director killed by rock trundled by hiker posted by Jim S on September 28, 2007 at 12:14:02 am EDT

Commonly done, this trundling thing, in this neck of the nape.

Was a guy killed on the NF of Granite Peak in Montana a few years back in a similar incident.

I'll have to admit, when I was a kid, prior to becoming a "technical climber", we used to go out for the sole purpose of trundling rocks. The higher, the bigger the drop, the bigger the rock, the more distance and damage, the better. Very commonly done at least where I'm from (Montana).

Mostly out of ignorance, I suppose, and, that seeing other folks around was never an issue.

Spent a fair amount of time this summer "cleaning" climbing routes on a big face (at Alta ski area). Can't imagine rockfall actually hitting a person. Tried to be super super careful. Some of the rocks were HUGE. One, the size of a large piece of luggage, didn't bust on the initial hit on a ledge, and sailed into space several hundred feet into the talus below. I'll have to say, I still track the crash with some guarded enthusiasm.

Hooo Leee Shhhh ITTT Or something to that effect.

Bowling ball size rocks? Easy money. Bet I tossed off a couple dozen that size this season. Carefully of course.

Mentioned to a friend that I'd been working on (and had completed) a new route on Devil's Castle, and, he instantly sequed into this Wind River accident. He's an Exum guide and it seems the whole of the Wyoming climbing community is especially hurtin' after this. Talk about hitting a raw nerve.

Not condoning this behavior at all. And, what that guy did, while inexcusable, was an accident. What were the odds of that? I can't imagine. And, I can't imagine being the one responsible for it.

Crazy stuff. The super topo thread on Peter's death is 439 posts long. One of the longer threads ever on that website. Very hard to read. His wife recently posted:

"This past weekend Michelle Escudero, Kathy Brown, my sister Ann and I hiked into Leg Lake and the base of the cliff where Pete was killed. It was a beautiful day—the aspens were gold and the willows red. When we set out the sky was clear and blue. We hiked the route that Pete and I always took (which it turns out is NOT the easiest, but that was typical for us...). The base of the climb is raw, new land. There is still old glacial ice just below a skim of jagged, loose rocks. But the climb itself looks beautiful. I found Pete's hat among the rubble there. It was comforting to find it...but sad too. We built a cairn and left three red roses, a prayer scarf, a sage bundle and a candle. The red roses are significant because Pete thought that the only kind of flowers you ever give were red roses....

The weather changed on our hike out and now today three days later when I look up at the Winds they are covered in snow. So our cairn is buried and the flowers frozen.

I hope Pete is okay wherever he may be. I hope he is the stars or the rainbows... But I wish he were here. The cliff is so vast it just seems impossible that he could have been hit by a single rock. I don't know what to make of that. But I know asking why doesn't help in the long run so I'm trying not to go there though it is hard.

Once more I thank you all for continuing to write or call. It helps more than you can know to feel that support.

Molly"

-Brian in SLC

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